


Pleasant Dreams and Rude Awakenings

by Fenchurch87



Series: Tales of Kirkwall (and Beyond) [11]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Dreams, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 16:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16814443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: Shortly after the events of Legacy, Marian Hawke falls asleep in front of the fire. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	Pleasant Dreams and Rude Awakenings

Marian Hawke slumped in her chair and stared listlessly into the fire. _Father, using blood magic._ There was so much she had never known, so much she could never know. _What else did he put himself through to keep us safe?_ she wondered.

“You look troubled,” said a voice, and Hawke turned to see her mother standing in the doorway. Leandra walked slowly into the room and sat down in a chair on the other side of the fireplace.

“Did you know, Mother? About what the Wardens made Father do?”

“No,” her mother admitted. “I may have been wilfully blind. He must have sacrificed so much for us. His burden must have been very like yours.”

Hawke shrugged uncomfortably. “He shouldered it better than me. I try my best, but– Sometimes it doesn't seem like enough.”

“You are very like your father, Marian. He tried to help people the same way. Tried to fix trouble he saw in others.” Leandra rose from her chair. “Come here.”

Hawke stood up and let her mother enfold her in her arms. “The best of your father is still with you,” Leandra whispered. “The best of all of us. It's what makes you try so hard. We are proud of you, Marian. Always remember that.”

“I– Thank you, Mother.” Hawke scrubbed a hand across her face, trying to stop the tears that were suddenly threatening to spill down her cheeks.

“Shhh,” Leandra murmured, stroking her hair. “It will be alright. We will always be with you. You will never be alone.”

*****

Hawke stifled a groan as she opened her eyes. How long had she been asleep? Some hours, she supposed. She could see only darkness through the windows, and the fire had almost burnt down to embers. She stood up with an effort, and slowly worked out the stiffness in her neck and the knots that had formed in her shoulders and lower back.

_Mother._ She had been here. She could still remember the feel of Leandra's arms around her. She could still smell faint hints of lotus flower and embrium, her mother's favourite perfume.

She rubbed her temples. _We will always be with you._ That was what her mother had said. Except they weren't with her. They weren't _here_. And they never would be again.

She placed a new log on the fire and watched the sparks crackle and dance. She had never felt so alone.

*****

She didn't hear the front door slamming shut or the footsteps in the hall, but she felt his arms slowly wrapping around her waist and the soft touch of his lips against her neck.

“I'm sorry I'm home so late. There was another brawl in the Hanged Man tonight. I spent three hours treating cuts and broken noses. Nothing too serious, though, thank the Maker. Are you alright?” he added, placing another kiss in her hair.

“I'm fine,” she replied, leaning into his touch with a sigh. “I was just thinking about Mother.”

“Oh, love.” His arms briefly tightened around her, and then he walked around to stand in front of her and take both her hands in his. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I'll be okay. It's just hard sometimes, remembering she isn't here anymore.”

“Alright.” He nodded understandingly and gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “Are you hungry? I think Bodahn's made a stew. It smells wonderful out in the hall.”

“That sounds good.” She smiled and followed him into the kitchen.

“Messere!” Bodahn greeted her warmly. “You're here at last. I thought I would have to send out a search party. Go on, sit down! I'll bring it out to you.”

“Enchantment?” Sandal asked hopefully, as Bodahn ushered her to the dining room.

“Not tonight, Sandal. Sorry.”

The stew was delicious, hot and filling, and Hawke felt contentment wash over her as she ate and listened to Anders's stories about the most interesting patients he had seen that day and Bodahn's tales of his time travelling with the Hero of Ferelden. Her parents and sister were gone, there was no escaping that, and her brother was far away, but she had Anders, and Bodahn, and Sandal, and Aveline, and everyone else. They were her family now. And so long as they were here, she would never be alone.


End file.
